Emancipation Reform of 1861

The Emancipation Reform of 1861 was a liberal reform passed by Czar Alexander II of Russia in 1861, abolishing serfdom in the Russian Empire. The emancipated serfs gained some land from the landowners, who were recompensated by the state. The serfs were required to reimburse the state in reemption dues for 49 years, and they paid the dues as village communes (mirs). The reform was a major step in the liberalization of Russia, but the land distributed to the peasants was insufficient to sustain a growing population, and the redemption dues placed a heavy financial burden on the peasants. In the end, the peasants still had a similar lifestyle to the serfs, and discontent and unrest would continue.